Yorkshire: Economic Development

Early day motion 2056 - ACCESS FOR CANOEISTS

EDM Tabled:6th February, 2019

That this House applauds British Canoeing for securing the staging of the Canoe Slalom World Cup in 2019 and the Canoe Slalom European Championships in 2020 at Lee Valley White Water Centre and celebrates the notable success of Team GB Canoeists in recent years; notes that more than 1.9 million paddlers in Britain have uncontested access to only 1,400 miles of inland water in England and Wales, which is less than 4 per cent of the total 41,000 miles of waterways that are more than 3 metres wide in Britain...

BBC Commissioning

Oral Contribution: 5th February, 2019

Given that last year I was the only Labour MP to join with most members of the Democratic Unionist party in defending press freedom when there was the chance of a state-appointed press regulator, will the hon. Gentleman recognise that investigations such as that into the renewable heat incentive by BBC Northern Ireland are in the long tradition of fearless investigative journalism by both the BBC and UTV that has served Northern Ireland well during the last 50 years, in both good times and bad?

KEIGHLEY and Ilkley MP John Grogan has voiced concern after a surge by about a half in unemployment levels within the constituency. He spoke out after figures revealed there were 1,575 claimants last month, compared to 1,050 in January last year.

A single devolution deal for Yorkshire has been rejected by the government. The proposal would have seen some powers given to the county by central government under the control of an elected mayor. A "One Yorkshire" plan was backed by 18 out of the region's 20 local councils, with Sheffield and Rotherham opting for a separate South Yorkshire solution. Communities Secretary James Brokenshire said the plan did "not meet our devolution criteria". The bid called on the government to devolve responsibility and funding for matters including transport budgets, franchised bus services and adult skills funding, and create a Yorkshire Combined Authority.

A MAKE-or-break meeting in London on Thursday (Feb 7) is set to decide the fate of a tiny school. A delegation from Oldfield Primary, which is fighting Government moves to impose academy status, will be in the capital to plead its case with Education Minister Lord Theodore Agnew. Keighley MP John Grogan has arranged the meeting, at the Department for Education, and will accompany the contingent. He said he was “hopeful” of a positive outcome.

KEIGHLEY now has the "real prospect" of direct trains to Manchester by 2025, says the town's MP. John Grogan was speaking after an announcement that an initial study had found it would be "technically possible" to reopen the rail link between Skipton and Colne. Campaigners have long been pressing for the restoration of the 12-mile route, which closed in 1970. Government Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said a second study would now take place to determine if demand for freight traffic on the line would make the project commercially viable.

A TAKEOVER of Keighley Cougars which has seen the return of the 'old guard' from a golden period for the club has been praised in Parliament. Mick O'Neill, who chaired the rugby league club in the 1990s during the height of 'Cougarmania', is back at the helm of the Lawkholme outfit. The new consortium also includes a co-director from that time, Mike Smith. They have stepped-in after months of turmoil at Cougar Park, which saw the club placed in special measures by the Rugby Football League.

DURING a parliamentary debate on David Cameron’s idea to renegotiate our membership with the EU in 2011, arch Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg said: “We could have two referendums. As it happens, it might make more sense to have the second referendum after the renegotiation is completed.” When challenged on this last month, Rees-Mogg argued that the context was different. But the principle is just the same. We had a referendum on whether to start the Brexit process and we are now in a negotiation over our future relationship with the EU.

A SHADOW minister has given his backing to a tiny primary school which is fighting Government moves to make it an academy. Mike Kane, the Shadow Minister for Schools, visited Oldfield Primary to pledge his support. He was accompanied by Keighley MP John Grogan, who has raised the issue in Parliament. The school – which has fewer than 50 pupils – was slapped with an academy order by the Department for Education after a damning Ofsted report last year, in which it was rated ‘inadequate’ and placed in special measures.

Contact John

If you would like to contact John or speak to a member of his team, please get in touch by email, phone, writing or completing the form below. He will endeavour to respond to your enquiry as soon as possible.

For more information about how we process your personal data please read our privacy policy

Send a copy to your email

Your Feedback

John is keen to hear from constituents about issues that may be affecting their lives, whether on a local or national level. If you are a constituent from the Keighley or Ilkey area and would like to get in touch with John for help or to highlight an issue, please click on the link below to complete a feedback form.